Flexible coupling.



' J. G. GALLAN.

FLEXIBLE COUPLING.

' APPLIOATIONIILBD OUT. 21, 1905.

Patented'Nov. 10, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' 'R/ehbor, I 35 2 hn G. 'Cal Ian,

itnesses:

J. G. GALLAN.

FLEXIBLE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 21, 1905.

903, 1 7 1 Patented Nov. 10, 1908 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Im/enton John G. CaHan.

' WWW UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN G. CALLAN, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY. A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FLEXIBLE courpmo.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

Application filed. October 21, 1905. Serial No. 288,787.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. CALLAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flexible Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a device for flexibly connecting two rotating ieces of apparatus, such for instance, as the s aft of a face for the current-collecting brushes to rest u on, and thus prevent excessive sparking.

e coupling is especially ap licable to highs eed apparatus, such as tur inc-driven ma- 0 ines, and includes means for lubricating the bearings between the relatively movable parts.

The construction of the invention, in one of its embodiments, will be understood from the following description taken with the accompanyin drawings, while the features of novelt wil be set forth in the appended claims.

11 the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pedestal bearing for the shafts with a portion broken away to show the flexible coupling, the latter being also partly broken away to show certain features of construction; Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sections of the cou ling taken, respectively, on the lines 22 an 33, Fig. 1, and drawn on an enlarged scale; Figs. 4 and 5 are detail sections taken on lines 4 and 5, Fig.2; Fig. 6 is a modification of a detail portion of the coupling; Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7, Fig. 6; and Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively a longitudinal and a transverse section of a modified form of coupling. Referring to Fig. 1, 1 represents a bearing of the edestal construction, which so orts the ad acent ends of shafts 2 and 3, who for example may be respectively that of an elas tic-fluid turbine and an electric generator. The pedestal is provided with-overhanging extensions 4 and 5 in which are mounted the bearing sleeves (not shown) for the shafts, and intermediate the extensions is a chamber 6 for containing the shaft coupling. By inclosing the coupling in this chamber, injury to the attendant from contact with the rotating parts is prevented. This arran ement also prevents the throwing of the oi about the room due to the centrifugal action of the rapidly rotating members. The bearing is made in two arts divisible in the horizontal axial plane 0 the shafts and bolted together. Obviously, other bearing constructions may be employed if desired.

The couplin com rises flanged members 7 and 8, keye or ot erwise secured on the adjacent ends of the shafts 2 and 3, and an erpualizing member or floating connector 9 w ich is connected by separate sets of links 10 and 11 to the members 7 and 8, respectively. The connector is a reel shaped frame formed with a central portion 12 and transversely extending flan ed or disk portions, preferably having ra ial arms 13 between which the links are disposed. Extending in an axial direction from adjacent surfaces of the flanges 7 and 8 are ivots or pins 14 and 15, to which correspon ing ends of the links are attached. They project into the spaces between the radial arms 13, there being preferably as many pivots as there are arms. The ivots or ins are located at equal radial istances, t e pivots or ins 14 bein diametrically opposite each ot er, as are a so the pivots 15, but the "latter are dislaced ninety degrees behind the former.

he links are connected by pivots or pins 16 to the equalizer or connector. These latter pivots are mounted in the arms of the connector in the same circle containing the pivots 14 and 15. By this arrangement, the center line of the links is tangential to the path of rotation, assuming the parts to be in concentric or normal position; hence the transmission of power from the driving member to the driven member is longitudinally of the links. The axes of the links and the centers of the pivots lie in a common transverse plane between the arms of the flanged portions of the connector, thus reducing the axial dimensions of the coupling to a minimum.

The parts of the coupling are constructed with the aim of securing hghtness with the requisite strength. The pivots 16 are tubular and are secured in place in the arms of the connector or equalizer by tangential keys 17, Figs. 2 and 5. The pivots 14 and 15 are, made from bar stock'and each is bored out for a portion of its length, andthe unbored portion is, reduced in diameter to form a shoulder 18, Fig. 1, and also threaded to receive a nut 19. The reduced portions are snugly fitted in openings 20 in the flanged members 7 and 8, and are secured therein by the shoulders and nuts. The links are preferably dumb-bell shaped in longitudinal section, Fig. 3, and are provided with hollow cylindrical portions or eyes 21 at their ends to fit on the pivots or pins of the connector and the flanged members. The webs 22 between the portions or eyes 21 are I-shaped in crosssection, Fig. 4, so as to reduce the weight and still give the necessary rigidity.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the links are capable of pivotally moving on the pivots 14 and 15 and also moving in a direction axially thereof or lengthwise, thereby permitting relative endwise movement. of the shafts. A slightmovement is afforded on the pivots 16, as is indicated by the clear ance 23 between the links and the arms of the connector, Fig. 5. Couplings of this type may be used with apparatus running at low or high s eeds. When operating at high speeds, suc as several thousand rotations per minute, the movement of the coupling links relative to the pivots is small but it occurs with every rotation of the coupling and the amount of friction to be relieved is rather great.

In order to adequatelylubricate the bearing surfaces between the links and the pivots, a container for lubricant is provided which rotates with the coupling in substantiall fixed relation to the bearings and from whic lubricant is discharged by centrifugalaction to the bearings through suitable conduits. According to the preferred embodiment of this feature the central portion 12 of the connector is made hollow to form a lubricant containing chamber 24, Figs. 1 and 3, and extending from the interior thereof through the cylindrical wall 25 are radial spouts or conduits 26, one of the latter being arranged to extend to each of the bearings between the links and the pivots so as to discharge lubricant thereto. The discharge ends of the spouts or conduits 26 project into openings 27 arranged in the cylindrical portions or .eyes 21 of the links, the diameter of the openings being suitably larger than that of the conduits so as to provide for relative movement of the parts without the conduits bindin in the openings. The conduits are suitab y proportioned to enable the desired quantity of lubricant to be discharged through them to the bearin under the action of centrifugal force. may be supplied to the chamber 24 con- 1 tinuously or otherwise, as desired. The su ly is preferably taken from the force-fee ubricating system for the shaft bearings,

Lu ricant the supply pipes of which are indicated at 28, Fig. 1. In the boss 29 of flange8 is an annular chamber or recess 30 into which lubricant is discharged through the pipe 31 that connects with the pi e 28. Extending inwardly'from the cham or 30 are two 'or more conduits 32 extending parallel to the axis through which the lubricant .is discharged into the chamber 24 of the connector. Between the conduits 32 and the chamber are short couplings 33 which loosely extend into openings 34 leading into the chamber 24, the clearance between the couplings and the walls of the opening being suflicient to accommodate relative movement of the parts of the coupling. The feed of lubricant through the pipe 31 is controlled by valve 35. The links instead of being constructed as described may be made of laminae or lates which are more or less loosely secured together in a mannerto permit of a limited flexibility in an axial direction. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the laminae 37 which are sheet metal punchings of suitable size and shape, are mounted on the pivots that connect them to the flanges and the connector. At a medial portion the laminae are loosely bound together by rivets 38, the holes in the laminae bein slightly larger than the rivets so as to permit of individual movement of the laminae. All of the links may be laminated in this manner, or only one set, as maybe desired. Since by this construction, the links are themselves flexible, there is no necessity of providing for axial movement on their pivots, as is desirable in the constructions as hereinbefore described.

In the modification shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the floating connector com rises twospaced disks 39 riveted together y the pins 40 and separator 41.' At two diametrically opposite points are arranged pivots 42 for t e links, which also serve as separators. One of each pair of links 10 and 11 is secured to each pivot and the opposite ends of the links are secured respectively to the pivots 14 and 15 on the two sections of the coupling. The pivots 14 and 15 extend through openings 43 in adjacent disks of the floating connector and connect with the links. Theseopenings are of larger diameter than the pivots so as not to restrict the free movement of the connector. It will be noted that in this construction all of the links are under tension as distinguished er tension and the links 11 by Letters Patent of the United States. is,

struction is preferable for laminated links, since they tend to buckle when subject to compression.

In accordance with the. provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment. thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out by other means.-

What I claim as new, and desire to secure In a shaft coupling, the combination of driving and driven shafts, and a member comprising two rigidly connected disk flportions which. are spaced apart,'with links exibly connecting the member to the shafts, the links being disposed between the disk portions of the member.

2. In a shaft coupling, the combination of driving and driven shafts, flanged members adapted to be secured to the shafts, pivots extending from adjacent surfaces of the members, a connector or equalizer comprising two spaced disk portions disposed between and parallel to the members, and links on the pivots flexibly connecting the members and the connector which permit of relative endwise movement of the shafts, said links lying in the space between said portions of the connector.

3. In a shaft coupling, the combination of flanged members, a floating connector comprising two spaced and rigidly connected disk portions, pivots carried by the connector which extend parallel to its axis, pivots on the members which extend from adjacent surfaces thereof in overlapping relation to the connector, and links flexibly connecting the pivots of the member with those of the connector.

4. In a shaft coupling, the combination of driving and driven shafts, end members on .he shaftsa floating connector comprising two parallel spaced and rigidly connected tlisk portions, pivots carried thereby which extend parallel to the axis of the connector, pivots on the members which extend from adjacent surfaces of the members in overlapping relation to the connector and its pivots, and a pair of links connecting the pivots of each member with pivots on the connector.

, 5. In a shaft coupling, the combination of driving and driven shafts, flanged members adapted to be secured to the shafts, links pivotally connected at one end with the members, and means rotating with the cou ling which is pivotally connected with t e other ends of said links and automatically supplies lubricant to the pivotal connections.

6. Ina shaft coupling, the combination of driving and driven shafts, flanged members connected at one end with the members, and

a connector pivotally connected with the.

other ends of said links and provided with means so located with respect to the pivotal connections as to feed lubricant to the pivots by centrifugal action.

7. In a shaft coupling, the combination of driving and driven shafts, flanged members adapted to be keyed to the ends of the shafts, a floating connector having a chamber for lubricant centrally located therein, links flexibly connecting the flanged members and the connector, and means cooperating with said chamber toautomatically lubricate'the bearings between the links and the connector and flanged members. i 8. In. a shaft coupling, the combination of driving and 'driven shafts, flanged members adapted to be secured to the shafts, a floating connector between the members, and links connecting the connector and the members, said connector having a container for lubricant which rotates with the coupling and supplies lubricant to the bearings between the relative movable parts. 7

9. In a shaft coupling, the combination of driving and driven shafts having flanged portions, a floating connector which is provided with a chamber for containing lubricant, means for feeding lubricant from a suitable source outside the coupling to said chamber durin the rotation of the coupling, members flexibIy connecting said flanged portions with the connector, and means for feeding lubricant from said chamber to the bearings of the members by centrifugal action.

10. In a shaft coupling, the combination of drivin and driven shafts, flanged members on t e shafts, a floating connector ar-- ranged between them which is provided with a chamber, links pivotally connecting said members with the connector at points radially beyond the chamber, and radial conduits between the chamber and the points of pivotal connection of the links which convey lubricant to the said points.

11*. In a shaft coupling, the combination of driving and driven shafts, flanged members on the shafts, a floating connector provided with a hollow cylindrical portion to form a lubricant-containing chamber, bearing pins orpivots on the connector and the said members, links extending from the pivots of the connector to-those of the members which are provided with openings for receiving lubricant to lubricate the ivots, and lubricant-conveying conduits which extend from the chamber of the connector to the said openings and loosely project into the latter.

12. A coupling for shafts comprising a driving and a driven member, one of the members having means which is adapted to receive lubricant and convey it to a lubricating device during therot'ation of the shafts,

aud flexible connections between the memhere, one of said'connections including'in its structure a lubricating device which receives lubricant from said means and feeds it to the points of attachment between the members and the flexible connections.

13. A coupling comprising relatively mov able members, and hnks connected therewith which transmit motion from one mem-' ber to another, there being means formmg a part of one of said members for lubricating the points of connection between the links and the members, and means formin part of another member for supplyinglubrlcant to v the first mentioned means while the coupling is rotating.

14. In a shaft coupling, the combination of drivin and driven shafts, flanged mem-.

bers on t e shafts, there being a chamber in the outer end of one of said members which receives lubricant from a suitable source of supply, a floating connector having a central the points of connection between the links, members and connector.

15. A coupling for shafts comprising a driving and a driven member, there being a recess 1n one of said members which receives lubricant from a suitable source, means enaging and flexibly connecting the two memers, and devices cooperating with said recess to feed the lubricant received by it outward by centrifu al action to the engaging surface of the mem ers and said means. 16. A coupling for shafts comprising driving and driven members, and means engaging and flexibly connectin said members, there bein' a lubricating evice formed in the genera 'cou ling structure and rotating therewith which suitable source outside: the coupling during the rotation thereof and feeds 1t by centrifugal action to the engaging surfaces of said means and members. Inwitness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand'this eighteenth day of October,

JOHN G. CALLAN.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. MOMANUS, Jr., H NRY O. WESTENDARP.

receives lubricant from a 

